Don Grigware - Page 8

Actors Co-op Theatre Company has been doing a special series of staged readings over the last couple of weeks. Those remaining will be presented over the course of this weekend starting tonight. The Mis-Leading Lady, written by: Jay Quantrill will be performed by: Greg Martin. Struggling classical actress Liliana wants her family back. More than her charm, cunning and theatrical skill will be needed to get Spenser to listen a?" really listen. The best way? Take him on a journey through the world's great comedies and tragedies. The play will be read Thursday, September 5th at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, September 7th, 8:00 p.m. Talk back with the playwright and cast to follow the show. *

The Bodyguard The Musical/based on the film with screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan/book by Alexander Dinelarissir/music: the hit songs of Whitney Houston/directed by John LaLonde/choreography by John Vaughan/musical director: Kevin Casio/Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre, Claremont/through September 28 As much as I admired Whitney Houston's phenomenal vocal instrument, I did not much care for 1992's movie of The Bodyguard. Apart from the music, I found it relatively boring. Houston's role Rachel Marron seemed of lesser focus than that of her bodyguard played by Kevin Costner, and maybe screenwriter Kasdan didn't feel that Houston, in her first film, could cut the acting. Now onstage in a revamped version, The Bodyguard The Musical took my breath away from moment to moment. The focus here is on Rachel Marron (Daebreon Poiema) and her sister Nicki (Deanna Anthony) who sing the hel

WORDS Actors Co-op Theatre Company presents a staged reading of Tony Muscio's Words directed by David Atkinson, performed by Joe Barone, Townsend Coleman and Selah Victor. After rejecting young Tom Mitchell's request to be his assistant, curmudgeonly writer Donald Steinman finds that his film producer daughter has hired him anyway. The motley pair struggles to find common ground as they work on Steinman's latest screenplay, a feature about John D. Rockefeller. As they battle the stalled-out project, they find that the power of words extends far beyond the page. Saturday, August 31st at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, September 1st at 2:30 p.m. Talk back with the playwright, cast and director to follow the show. *

Actress/Playwright Terra Taylor Knudson is about to open her award-winning solo show Willy's Lil Virgin Queen at the Garage Theatre in Long Beach after Labor Day. In our conversation she talks about why Shakespeare's work is so important to her and gives welcome advice to our readers on how to fully understand and appreciate him more. Actress/Playwright Terra Taylor Knudson is about to open her award-winning solo show Willy's Lil Virgin Queen at the Garage Theatre in Long Beach after Labor Day. In our conversation she talks about why Shakespeare's work is so important to her and gives welcome advice to our readers on how to fully understand and appreciate him more. Willy's Lil Virgin Queen sounds delightful. Tell us about how you and Shakespeare first got acquainted. TTK: I grew up in Bouldeilly's Lil Virgin Queen sounds delightful. Tell us about how you and Shakespeare first got acquainted. TTK: I grew up in Boulde

Singer/songwriter Mark Winkler appeared at Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's Friday August 23 for a CD release party of his new album I'm With You Mark Winkler Sings Bobby Troup. Playing to a SRO house, Winkler wowed his audience by simply being his warm, personable, engaging self. He possesses a splendid vocal instrument that can cover a variety of styles, but, as shown here mostly jazz and pop. He does not push. The lush tones flow from him quite naturally. One might compare him to Jack Jones, Perry Como. He deserves without question to be among the greats.

Lovestruck/by Odalys Nanin and Marie Barrientos/directed by Odalys Nanin/Zephyr Theatre/CLOSED Benefit performances of this sparkling play Lovestruck by Odalys Nanin and Marie Barrientos were held August 16, 17 and 18 to sold out audiences at the Zephyr Theatre on Melrose in Hollywood. It is one of Macha Theatre's most popular plays alongside Garbo's Cuban Lover and Frida Stroke of Passion, one that is often requested. Perhaps because it is about romance, in this case between two women, a Cuban named Laura (Odalys Nanin) and the other American by the name of Rachel (Tricia Cruz). It is a winner in my book because it zips along with a serious look at the ups and downs of a relationship but never without a glorious sense of humor.

RIGHTEOUS AMONG US Actors Co-op Theatre Company presents a staged reading of Amy Tofte's Righteous Among Us, directed by: Heather Chesley, performed by Kay Bess, Deborah Marlowe & Kimi Walker. A researcher at a civil rights museum collects oral histories from the ancestors of those who saved Jews during the Holocaust and of those who were saved.  When she uncovers one hero family's legend is a lie, she must not only break the news to all involved and shatter the myth.  but also come to terms with her own need to find heroes and good intentions among regular people. Saturday, August 24th, 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, August 25th 2:30 p.m. Talk back with playwright, cast and director to follow the show. Suggested Donation $10. Free to 2019-2020 Season Subscribers.Information/Tickets https://www.actorsco-op.org/original-works-seriesActors Co-op David Schall

Director/actress Linda Alznauer directed Trapped at Tea Time at the 2018 Hollywood Fringe Festival and Arthur Miller's All My Sons at Upstairs-at-the-Group-Rep (2018). Also Upstairs at the Group Rep, she directed and appeared in And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little by Paul Zindel (2017) and Another Antigone by A.R. Gurney (2016). Other LA credits include Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing at Two Roads Theater in Studio City (2014) and Visiting Oliver at JET Studios in NoHo (2014). NY credits include Blind Date at Open Pulse One Act Festival on Theater Row. Linda is a graduate of the USC Film School. She has recently opened Otherwise Engaged at Upstairs at the Group Rep.

Writer/actress/cabaret performer Shelly Goldstein is  very popular worldwide and is in a constant state of motion. In our interview she talks about her work and how she cannot live without it. Not a moment passes without a sprinkling of her extraordinary humor. First, tell our readers about your background. How did you get interested in comedy and then musical cabaret?

Singer Robert Collins, winner of LA's Next Great Stage Star 2018 Presented by Princess Cruises, has a powerhouse voice, so to say that he knocked his debut LA cabaret show out of the park goes without saying. Playing to a soldout audience of family and friends, many from the contest, Collins displayed a down.to.earth, friendly charm that makes him perfect for cabaret. You have to connect with your audience, and Collins does so in spades. Backing him in the 70-minute show was marvelous pianist/musical director Michael Ragonese.

Otherwise Engaged/by Simon Gray/directed by Linda Alznauer/Upstairs at the Group Rep/through September 8, Saturdays at 4 pm, Sundays at 7 pm Written in the 1970s, Simon Gray's Otherwise Engaged was a grim look at publisher Simon's (Michael Robb) lack of communication with his family, tenant and friends. He preferred to listen to Wagner as opposed to talking about any issue that came up. Little did Gray know that a mere 44 years later, the internet would pretty much take the place of human interaction. Or did he? Maybe via his play he was predicting the future. Currently at Upstairs at the Group Rep, Otherwise Engaged is receiving a stellar production with a fine cast and directed with exacting precision by Linda Alznauer.

On Saturday August 10, singer/actor Derek Klena, now a popular leading man on Broadway, returned to his California roots to present his first live LA concert on the El Portal Mainstage. To say it clicked, is an understatement. I have seen Klena perform since 2009 when he came in a runnerup in LA's Next Great Stage Star. He is handsome, charming, a real promising performer who comes from a warm West Covina family. Maybe it's because of these roots, that he is as successful as he is right now. He adores his caring mother and father and two siblings Lauren and Dylan. Though married to his high chool sweetheart and living in NYC, he returns regularly to celebrate birthdays and holidays with the family or to see his brother Dylan perform on local stages.

Jazz singer Mark Winkler has just released a new album on singer Bobby Troup and will do a CD release party at Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's on August 23. In our chat, Winkler talks about his background, his love for Troup, jazz and the overall world of music. Tell our readers about your background. Where are you from? How did you get interested in music, especially jazz?

Loose Knit/by Theresa Rebeck/directed by L Flint Esquerra/Group Rep, NoHo/through September 8 Will the play be like Steel Magnolias? I queried. But...there are two male actors onboard. Well, as it turns out Loose Knit provides far more entertainment than I expected and presents a myriad of thought provoking ideas, not only about dating, but about the politics of America and how it works or does not. Currently onstage at Grou Rep, Loose Knit should be a great big winner, because of the astute writing, the dynamite seven member ensemble and superior direction from L Flint Esquerra. Five women meet regularly at Gina's (Lisa McGee Mann) apartment to knit...actually, some to knit, some to talk. Gina is a lawyer and professes to want to knit only, but is keeping a secret deep down that is about to rattle her nerves. Two sisters Lily

West Side Story/book by Arthur Laurents/music by Leonard Bernstein; lyrics by Stephen Sondheim/directed by Larry Raben/choreographed by Karl Warden/music director:Jeff Rizzo/ 5 Star Theatricals at Thousand Oaks Plaza, Fred Kavli Theatre/ through August 4 Ask actors/actresses to name their favorite Broadway musical of all time and they most often concur, West Side Story. Why? It has phenomenal music by Leonard Bernstein, with concise poetic lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, a tight and gripping book by Arthur Laurents ... and ... brilliant choreography established in 1957 by Jerome Robbins. It is one of the most powerful love stories ever penned, next to Romeo and Juliet. With all these elements complementing one another, from the first downbeat of the orchestra and the appearance of the Jets creeping in one by one on a half-lit stage, the show pulls you in and doesn't let go for its almostr three hours ... and its message and images of love linger long after.

Director L Flint Esquerra has directed two Tennessee Williams' plays A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at Group Rep Theatre in NoHo in the last few years to great acclaim. He is currently directing their next production Loose Knit set to open August 2. In our conversation Esquerra talks about the play in detail. Did you direct Loose Knit before? I understand that this is a revival production. No, have never directed this show before. I think 'revival' may be a bit of a misnomer, in the sense that, yes, it was done somewhere else sometime before and now it's being done here, but no, none of our cast or crew has ever worked on it prior. Tell  our readers what the play is about.

Peter Pan is an enchanting tale that delights children of all ages. Children dream of being able to fly and to live freely, without attachments or responsibilities. With the right casting, the show is pure magic. Now onstage through August 18 at Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre, Peter Pan will never grow up, thank heavens! In this case there is not a famous star attached to the role....and director John LaLonde has cast a male in the lead. A refreshing change...and, let's face it, it must work. Peter is a boy, after all. Gavin Juckette is an immmensely talented triple threat who has played the role previously on the East coast. La Londe has cast this Peter Pan very well, making it soar.

Actress/singer par excellence Lisa Donahey presented her Big 50th Birthday Bash at Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's Friday July 19 and did an encore performance Sunday July 21. I attended Friday and had a great time. Donahey has an infectious personality. Her charisma is enormous, as she talks directly to her audience, including them in the repartee - with a bevy of surprises - and has a joyous time doing it. Backed by six extraordinary musicians* with virtuoso musical director David Arana at the keyboard, the show came in at almost two hours, but was so enjoyable, the time flew by, literally. Donahey had two glorious backup singers Lyndsay Dodoras and Billye Johnstone

TMB presents the workshop production of a world premiere play Good Enough, written and performed by Ted McGrath and directed by James Barbour. Good Enough will open on Friday, July 26 and perform through Sunday, August 25 at the Lounge Theatre, 6201 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. Good Enough is the true journey of world renown author and story teller Ted McGrath. Playing 15 characters, McGrath takes us on an emotional roller coaster ride through addiction as he sabotages his family, his career and ultimately his life in the attempt to answer one question burning inside him his entire life: AM I GOOD ENOUGH? Now, having reclaim